The term employee engagement takes on many different meanings. To some, it means connecting one on one with employees to better understand their goals. To others it means getting your team active and raising employee participation within the company. Forbes defines employee engagement as “The emotional commitment the employee has to the organization and its goals.” If your employee’s feel valued, heard and respected, they will work for the companies benefits, not just their own. Below we outline 3 basic tactics to help increase employee engagement.

Communication

Effective leaders encourage an open line of communication between themselves and their workers, provide full transparency and effectively act upon feedback. One great way to establish open communication with your team is to conduct semi regular one-on-one sessions. These meetings allow your employees to voice any concerns, give their suggestions for improvements and set short term goals. Shorter term goals can feel more attainable to your employees, leaving them with a sense of accomplishment. In turn, leading to a more committed employee. Not all employees respond to engagement the same. Tailoring your approach to each individual will increase their sense of value at the company.

Screwfix, a UK based hardware company, holds “feedback” sessions every two weeks. They encourage employees to give their honest feedback without the threat of repercussions. Through this transparent feedback the company was able to identify and implement a new process that led to customers making quicker in-store purchases.

Encouragement

This employee engagement tactic can come in many forms. First and foremost, give recognition where recognition is due. Southwest is known for choosing one stand out employee and recognizing their hard work in the monthly sky catalogue. This simple form of encouragement shows that the employee is a valued part of the company. Showing your team they are worth more than a dollar amount will increase their feeling of pride.

Establishing a culture that encourages continuous development benefits your employees as well as the company’s bottom line. It shows your employee you value their hard work and future while building the skillset needed for them to effectively do their job. Providing continuous development can be as simple as cross-training employees to workers know what it takes to perform their co-worker’s duties. This will lead to a more empathetic and low stress work environment.

Excite

Workers that get to know one another on a personal level will feel more connected to their job and the company. Organize team happy hours or join a rec team together. Encourage your employees to foster closer connections to their fellow workers for a more positive and exciting experience.

Can you image if your employer paid for you to go on vacation ever year? That is exactly what Full Contact, a software firm, does. Each year they provide each employee $7,500 to take a fully paid vacation with only one stipulation- no work allowed. They firmly stand by the idea of employee’s that take an actual break from work come back more energized, clear headed and ready to push the company to the next level.

Increasing employee engagement through excitement within doesn’t always have to cost an arm and a leg. Take Google for example. They encourage each person to spend time to develop and pitch their own ideas. This helps keep innovation high and tells your team you truly value their input and creativity. After all, without the encouragement of pursuing side projects we wouldn’t have Gmail, Google Maps, Twitter, Slack or Groupon!

Employee Engagement

At the end of the day, the goal of employee engagement is to create a strong base of loyal and fulfilled employees. It is all about finding the right mix that works for your company.

Need help with employee engagement? Learn more about Quicksilver’s employee engagement services.